


Make a Wish on a Shooting Star

by BluBooThalassophile



Series: HfaB Universe [5]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Nightwing (Comics), Starfire (Comics), Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Complicated Relationships, Drama & Romance, Family, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, Some Humor, Team Dynamics, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-13
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-01-25 20:33:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12540624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluBooThalassophile/pseuds/BluBooThalassophile
Summary: Falling in love isn't simple. It's a mess, it's complicated, and unexpected. Which was why he wasn't in love. Even if Dick remembered when she crashed here, and how she had stood tall and regal in all her fiery glory. And even if he did remembered thinking that she was everything he did not wish for. He didn't expect her to be everything he'd need after all the losses he's had.





	1. Collision Course

Dick smiled looking at his family on Christmas morning. Raven was sitting with Jason, Selina was lounging in Bruce's lap with Helena in her arms, Terry at Bruce's feet, Damian and Tim were squabbling, Stephanie had Lian with Cass looking curiously over her shoulder at the baby, Donna, Diana and Cassie were passing out presents, Kori was stretched out beside him, and he savored having her under his arm, curled up in his side. Alfred was sitting at the head of the family sipping tea he and Raven had made this morning.

"What The Hell Am I Supposed To Do With A Puppy!?" Jason shouted after Damian had unceremoniously given Jason his gift. Dick snickered at the gift for it beat Damian's original intentions, and the German Shepard puppy was already trying to gnaw on Jason's hand.

"I am told I cannot give you a person so Kyle said to give you the pup," Damian said.

"It's a sweet gift," Kori giggled.

"Ow! Teeth!" Jason hissed. "And what person, what!?" Jason blinked at this news and Dick looked to where Raven was as Raven scratched the puppy's ears.

Kori tilted her head back and smiled at him, he grinned as his hand slid down her body and rest where their child was. It was when they got through the presents and the Amazons had gone to go get breakfast together that Dick looked over at Bruce.

"Now?" he whispered in her ear.

"Now is fine," she agreed.

"Now is fine for what?" Bruce roused then, Selina looked up from where she was sitting with the girls and babies. Jason didn't look up as he tried to get the puppy off him as the pup had decided to play tug of war with Jason's pants. Raven rouse a bit only to shut her eyes again. Alfred lifted a brow and Tim looked up from the new computer he had received. Damian frowned as he continued sketching with Titus.

"Kori is pregnant," Dick grinned.

"Really!? That's great squirt!" Selina was up first and smiling. Dick smiled as the family reacted with joy to his news as Kori grinned and talked about her pregnancy gleefully.

"What?" a soft whisper had him turning around as he looked into the wide blue-green eyes of Barbara as she sat in her chair.

"Babs!" he chased after her, a glance to Kori and he saw her sadness as she nodded, but Dick didn't dwell on it as he rounded the corner.

"Barbara Wait!" he called after her, and she rolled to a stop.

"I…" she twisted around to look at him.

"I was going to tell you," he said awkwardly. "But with everything that happened, with Shelia, and everything else with Jason, I just…"

"No, you don't owe me an explanation," she started, he caught her chair as he leapt around to kneel before her.

"Babs…"

"I'm happy for you," she cut him off with a weak smile. "I don't know, I just, I always thought, never mind," she shook her head.

"We were the end game," he supplied for her. Barbara's eyes flicked to her lap and he sighed.

Once upon a time he'd have thought he and Babs were the end game, that they were the long haul, that there was nothing that would get between them, that nothing would break them. But, there was the Joker, and just like the Joker had stolen his brother from him, the Joker had taken Barbara from him. True, she was still here, and he liked to consider Babs to be one of his best friends, but, they had died the moment the Joker paralyzed her.

"That we were the end game," she agreed softly.

"Babs, you," he started, and he sighed as he let his head drop. There was nothing he could say to her right now.

"Do you love her Richard?" she whispered.

"What?" he looked up at her then.

"Do you love her Richard?"

"I… yeah, Babs, I love her," he admitted. He had always thought he knew what love was, and it had broken his heart, then Kori, Kori had come crashing into his life, in all her fiery glory as she stood tall and proud, she had been everything he didn't wish for or want. But he was pretty sure Kori was everything he had ever needed.

"I never wanted to," he said softer when Barbara looked away from him. "I was in San Francisco, and Jason was dead, you had just shouted that you never wanted to see me again, and I thought I'd never love again. I thought you were the love of my life Barbara."

"I," she started.

"I thought what we were was indestructible, you were my best friend, you were the first girl I ever kissed, the first girl I pictured a future with, the first friend, real friend, I had after my parents died. But, I guess I wasn't everything to you," he gently said as he stared at nothing in particular. He couldn't describe what Barbara had been to him, because honestly, he had thought what they had was real love. He knew better now. "You're still my friend Babs, and I'll always be here for you, but, Kori… that's it, she's a done deal. I've never felt what I feel for her for another, and I love her. Barbara, I love her."

"Richard," Barbara touched his cheek which had his eyes snapping back onto hers. "I'm happy for you. I'm… I'm happy you found love, I'm happy you moved on, and I'm happy you're starting a family. I just, I need some time.

"You're still my best friend, but, I'm going to need some time," she whispered and leaned down.

Dick stiffened when her lips brushed his.

"Goodbye Richard, when I see you again I'll really be happy for you," she said as she shoved him aside and rolled out the door and towards her car. Dick just stood in the open door watching her go.

He shut the door when she was no longer visible, and he sighed as his head fell against the door. his ear twitched when he heard a floorboard shift and he turned to blink at the sight of who had come to him now.

"You know, you and Barbie weren't ever going to last," a deep tenor informed him.

"I would think that would be between Babs and I," Dick said stuffing his hands in his sleep pants pockets as he stared at Jason.

His younger brother snorted. "Please, with how you all butt in my life I think it's fair I state a few facts about this mess you made of your love life."

"And what about you and Rose?"

"That's not love, that's fucking, and I suspect she's going to try to kill me next time I see her," Jason shrugged. Dick's eyes landed on the stiches Jason had still from his last run in with Rose.

"And why do you think you have a right to comment on my love life?" Dick asked.

"Because you fucking suck at noticing the obvious."

"This from you," Dick snickered. Oh, he'd love to rub Jason's face in that later but the bland look his brother gave him had him quirking his brows.

"You all really think I don't know about Raven?" he asked blandly.

Dick opened his mouth and shut it. Jason just gave a huff as he dragged his hand through his hair.

"Look dickhead, I'm smart enough to know it's there, I'm also smart enough to know that it's a stupid thought to act on it, right now. I'm not as stupid as you think I am," Jason shrugged.

"Well it's easy to believe you're dense," Dick pointed out.

"Whatever, my love life isn't the mess right now, yours is, and if you're smart you'll prevent it from ending up like B's," Jason said as he came to lean on the wall.

"It's complicated Jaybird," Dick said evenly.

"It's really not as complicated as you and B make it out to be," Jason countered.

"And why do you say that?" Dick demanded sharply. His entire love life was a fucking mess! True he was getting things detangled between him and Kori, but this latest Barbara nonsense had likely bungled them back up; again. Kori was his everything, and Barbara was his past, and everything was complicated and difficult to navigate.

"Because I saw the way you looked at her six years ago, and you never looked at Barbara like that," Jason said which had Dick stiffening. "I didn't flirt with Kori because she's my type, or because you made it a part of the Red X persona, I did it because it pissed you off in a way me flirting with Babs never did."

"Jason," he started.

"You don't get it, so shut up and listen. I've seen a lot of worlds, seen a lot of lives, visited a lot of dimensions, Dick," Jason said. Dick frowned, because Jason had shared as much in his fury. "And there's few things that you always had. One, that pompous ass attitude of being superior and golden boy. Two was this fierce love for family…" Jason trailed off and didn't add what Dick knew Jason had every right to add.

' _Yeah Dickhead, I know you, I know every fucking version of you, and you always have this fierce love for family, everyone in the family, everyone but me!_ ' he had shouted when Dick had blundered into Jason's complicated emotions for family, demanding answers.

"And Three, every life you would build, it was with Kori, never Barbara. So yeah Dick, it's simple. And you're complicating it because you think what you felt was as real as what you feel for Kori," Jason said. "Like Rae said, 'let it go, it's not real anymore, accept it happened but you can't change it'."

"You know, if I knew the other me's, Jay, I'd punch them," Dick said as he looked at his little brother.

"No, you wouldn't," Jason said. "Besides, I'm pretty sure I broke two of yours' noses, and a jaw."

"Ow," Dick winced and Jason sighed.

"Stop complicating it, Dickhead," Jason said levelly.

"Then you stop complicating it for you too," Dick offered as he looked at his little brother.

"It's not complicated for me," Jason stated coldly.

Dick snorted at that. Jason was the definition of 'complicated'. Raven was too, but it appeared Jason and Raven were sorting their own thing out at their own pace.

"So what would you do in my spot right now?"

"Talk to Kori before she blasted me?" Jason offered. There was a yip and Jason groaned. "Fucking tooth menace!"

"Jay!" Terry appeared with the puppy waddling to them.

"Yeah, yeah, come on Duck," Jason snatched the kid up as he walked back to the family and Dick saw Kori's flaming hair round a corner which had him jogging after her. He made it up to their shared room, his room, and he opened the door to find her grabbing a bag.

"Richard!" she gasped.

"Kori, where do you think you're going?" he asked levelly as he shut the door behind him.

"Home, I…" she started and a sniffle escaped her. "I understand if you wish to be with Barbara, I will be happy for you, but I will have our child," she started. He caught her and pulled her down for a hard kiss, which had her gasping.

"Babs and I were saying goodbye, Kori," he said softly. "You're it for me."

"Really?" she whispered, those burning green eyes wide with uncertainty and Dick remembered the first time she came crashing into his life, how outlandish he had thought her to be, especially with that kiss.

However, nearly seven years of her being in his life, and he couldn't think of a moment she was there for him. A moment with her that didn't have him on his toes or enthralled with living again.

"Kori, you're my girl," he smiled. She made him believe in soulmates.


	2. Fractured Futures

_4 Years Earlier…_

Dick soared through Gotham, landing lightly on building as he smiled at his smaller companion.

"Show off," the teen huffed. Dick's head fell back as he laughed then. It'd been about two years since the Robin Debacle, and he and Tim had finally made peace, now that Dick was Nightwing again.

"So, any girls Robin?" Dick asked as he and his new youngest brother sat on a ledge. Things were working out, for him again as Nightwing; a less flamboyant costume at Bruce's insistences and design. Tim was newly adopted into the Waynes after having lost his father, and while Dick wasn't fond of Jack Drake he got how alone and miserable Tim might be feeling at this moment. And Dick was NOT fucking this up like he had with Jason he was going to be a good big brother this time around. He would do everything he hould have done for Jason for Tim, he wasn't going to fail Tim. He'd do it because he should have done it the first time.

"No!" Tim squeaked.

Dick laughed.

His new little brother was a bit bashful, and though Tim was obviously forming a good relationship with the vigilant known as Spoiler, there were few friends he had been making aside from her. "No news on Spoiler then?"

"What? Why? Did she say something about me?" he demanded with a bright blush, and Dick ruffled Tim's messy hair then.

"You're hopeless," Dick chuckled as he took his baby brother back through Gotham. The moment they made it back to the Cave Dick kicked his kickstand down as he leapt up and over to lockers. Dick acknowledged Bruce as he walked by, he and B were still figuring things out. It wasn't easy.

Once in civvies he jogged up the stairs and saw a gorgeous Irish beauty he'd ever seen in his life sitting with her computer on her lap.

"Heyya gorgeous," he swung around her chair kissing her freckled cheek as he flopped onto the couch. She turned her green eyes onto him as she fixed her glasses.

"You shouldn't do that," she chided. He sighed, there was no winning with Barbara.

"How is everything holding up today?"

"I think I got this sorted out," she said. "The mainframe was a mess."

"Well, you continue sorting it out and I'll be ready to take you to OT," he smiled as he stood and kissed her cheek lightly before walking up the stairs to his room for a few hours of shut eye. Opening his door, he looked at his bed then his phone buzzed.

"Hey," he answered without looking as he fell back onto his bed.

"Dick! It is most good to hear from you," Kori giggled, a smile tugged at his lips.

"Hey Kori."

"How is Gotham and the Bats!? How is Timothy!?" Kori asked.

"Everything is going okay," he admitted.

"That is most wonderful!"

"Yeah, Timmy is good, how are the Titans?"

"Nothing new," she said. "Oh, I must go, but I just wanted to say hello. We hope to see you and Tim again soon!"

"I'm thinking about it," Dick admitted. He'd have to have an actual conversation with Bruce about taking Tim to the Titans. Dick was pretty sure Tim and Raven would hit it off. They were the same relative age, and seemed to have the same interests. He knew that if Jason was still alive he'd hit it off with Raven simply because of their love of books.

"That is most excellent."

"Hey Kori, talk to you soon, I'm taking Babs to her OT in the morning," he yawned.

"Oh, how is she doing?"

"Good days and bad," he admitted. Spinning around he flopped down on his bed as he stared at the ceiling. Life was good days and bad days, but with Babs it seemed to be an extreme mostly.

"That's understandable," Kori said uncertainly.

"I know, I just…" he trailed off. He couldn't win with Babs. Not anymore. Nothing was ever simple with Babs, and he wasn't sure what he was doing or what he should do.

"Have patience Dick, oh, I have to go, we shall speak again," Kori hung up then and he sighed.

He'd get this, he could get this, he would get this. He could balance it, it was just a balancing act, and he was good at those. Sitting up on his bed he rubbed his hand over his face as his eyes settled on the dorky photo he had of himself and Jason on that Godawful camping trip they had tried out. That weekend nothing was going right for them.

"I got this," he muttered.

He had to get it. He couldn't afford to lose Tim like he had lost Jason.

Two years ago, the Joker had shattered the Bats, taken Jay away, and months later left Babs crippled. And it wasn't easy. Dick knew that.

Barbara had nearly died, she'd been in a coma, and things had fallen apart between them. But it was getting better. Especially since he had given up Robin, again, and permanently. His being Robin wouldn't have saved Jason, he could see that now. And his being Robin when Tim was Robin was not a help but a hinderance as the threats targeted them both.

Thankfully though Slade had never gone after Tim.

Dick was still figuring things out with Babs, but so much of her seemed closed off now. She wasn't his Babs anymore, there was something bitter about her now. But Dick still loved her. She was Babs, she just wasn't the same Babs as before, and it was foolish to think she should be the same Babs. He would adapt to this Babs now, because this Babs was the Babs he had now.

Thinking of Slade, it made him wonder where he had disappeared to after Raven had banished Trigon.

Problems for a different day, he had to drive Babs to PT in the morning. Flopping back he willed himself to sleep.

He wanted to talk to Kori though.

* * *

Kori sighed as she hung up her phone and stared out at the city. It was glimmering nicely this summer's night.

She sighed as she closed her eyes.

On Tamaran this would be the time to find a mate. She was of age, she should be fighting to find her champion. However, she would never have a mate. She would never bear young. And she could not rule Tamaran.

She wanted to speak to Dick about this, she just… she needed her friend. But her friend was involved with his family again, at the insistence of friend Raven. And friend Raven was not wrong. Family should always be first, and if she could have, she would be with her own family. A sigh escaped her as her eyes fluttered shut against the tears as she remembered Kom.

X'hal, she missed her sister.

Hugging her knees to her chest she bit her lip against the onslaught of homesickness she felt. She couldn't go home, she couldn't return, at all. She would never bear the heir, and she was not eager to stay after her father had sold her to the warlord.

"Hey Star," a monotone said.

"Oh, friend Raven!" she gasped twisting around to see her friend there. The younger girl walked over to sit beside her.

"Did you talk to him?" Raven asked.

"Oh, yes," she said forcing a cheer into her voice.

"Kori, empath," the fifteen year old stated.

"I did not speak to him about  _ **that**_ ," she sighed in defeat.

Dick had left earlier this year, after the Titans had formed globally. It was time, he had said, to go home, to make peace with his father and new brother, and to apologize to his dead brother. Kori understood, she did, she had the same need, just she was not willing to brave returning home just yet. She would return when she could brave her father. For her father was back in power after Kom's attempt at a coupe, and her failed attempted to marry Kori off to that blob. Ryand'r was the heir now, for as weak and feeble as he was. Even Raven would be a more suitable heir than her brother; Raven who was a pacifist demon.

"Why not?" Raven asked.

"He… He is no longer interested in me," she whispered. For that was the truth.

Dick had returned to Gotham, he had left, telling her that he wished to mend fences with Barbara Gordon. He had even said he loved her on several occasions before he had left. It was why they had not dated, for Dick's heart belonged to this mysterious Barbara.

Oh, she was well aware of what Barbara looked like. Dick had shown her a picture, and the human was gorgeous.

She had this gorgeous red hair, freckles, ivory skin, a wide bottom lip, and that perfect angled cheek bones, pert chin, green eyes, and those perfect brows. She was the peek of human beauty even with the freckles. And Kori knew she didn't stand a chance because Dick looked at Barbara like she was the world.

Kori had that wide mouth, squared jaw, squared cheek bones, her feline green eyes were always glowing and her full lips and curved brows were not human beauty standards. Then there was the matter of her amber skin. She was not like the delicate Barbara and Dick clearly preferred.

"You should talk to him," Raven monotonously stated.

"You do not understand, friend Raven," Kori sighed.

"But I do Kori, we're different, she's human. Don't you think I get that? And his father doesn't want them dating metas, and I get it, Kori, but, you need to talk to him. You said he was your best friend, and feelings or not you should work on being friends."

"Raven," Kori sighed. "It is painful."

"I know. But if you lose him, that'll hurt more," Raven whispered. Kori looked over at the fifteen year old then. She sighed as she touched Raven's shoulder and they sat in silence. Kori saw Garfield fly off then and she knew the ache her friend was feeling was her first heart break. But Raven was strong, she would bear her pain with patience.

"He does not deserve you."

"He might be the only one who'd ever look at me though," Raven muttered sourly.

Kori sighed. The problems with being different from traditional beauty: One Wasn't Beautiful Unless They Fit In.

Kori stared at the city again and she just watched it patiently. Raven was a gentle fierce soul, Garfield had beaten her down though. However, Raven was strong, strong in a way Kori wished she could be. The demon would survive her heartbreak.

Kori did not know if she could survive Dick leaving her behind for Barbara. Dick's past was so important to him, it had shaped so much of who he was, and what he was now. Losing his brother had been shattering to him and she understood his need for family. If she could reach her sister she would. Dick deserved his family. He deserved to be happiness. She wanted him happy.

But that meant her own heart might break in the process, and Kori had more than enough heartbreak for a life time.

"Garfield is a stupid boy," Kori stated for Raven.

The empath looked up with sad dark eyes. "But he's not wrong."

"You deserve better than him," Kori stated firmly.

"You know Dick's an idiot too then," Raven said turning her head to her.

"Dick is not my concern. I hope to X'hal that he is happy with Barbara," Kori whispered.

Raven said nothing as they both stared out at the city and Kori wished her friend would say anything right now. But that was not Raven's way. Raven was a silent force, she would not say needless words of comfort.

No matter how much Kori yearned to hear the words.

* * *

Barbara cried internally, every night she went to sleep. She could dream of days she could dance, she would remember how it felt to be able to run, she remembered how it felt to wrap her legs around her lover and to hold him close. She remembered how it felt to have legs, and the power of having them. Then she would wake, and it would be a dream, which had her wanting to cry, weep, scream, rage. Not just in rage, but in sorrow too.

She missed it, missed the freedom of her legs, missed having that power to be flying through the city with Dick and Bruce.

But no matter, she woke with a sigh as the illusion of her dancing with Dick shattered and she slowly pulled herself up with her arms.

The deadweight of her lower half was not lost on her, though she could not feel it anymore. Reaching over she pulled her chair close as she slid into it carefully. Arranging her legs, she felt she was secure as she rolled down the hall and took care of her morning needs. Then rolled into the kitchen where her father was set up with his coffee and paper.

"Morning daddy," she smiled as she rolled past him.

"Morning sweetheart," he moved his paper down as he smiled at her. It hadn't been an easy few years on either of them. "Cinnamon rolls are on the counter," he said.

"Thanks daddy."

"Dick still taking you to OT today?" he asked.

"Yes Dad."

"Are you sure about him?" her dad asked her.

"I'm happy with him, dad," she admitted. She had loved dick for so long, for forever, ever since she was thirteen and she had met that twerp. And he was sticking with her even when he could run off with a normal girl, like an Amazon or something.

Then again, he hovered and she didn't know how to feel about that. She didn't like feeling helpless, she didn't like having him hover over, and she really didn't like him thinking her disabled. She had… she was disabled, but that didn't mean she needed him walking around her on eggshells.

"I just want you happy, baby," her dad said as he touched her head. Barbara focused on not flinching. She sometimes resented herself for hating her father, and Bruce, it wasn't their faults that Joker had destroyed her world. Joker aimed to break them all, to have them stoop to his level. The Joker wanted one of them to kill him, and Bruce was not going to cross that line. Barbara wondered if Joker had taken Jason out first because the Joker knew that Jason would kill him.

Jason had had this edge to him, this savageness, and brutality in him which could have him being the fiercest of all them. Honestly Babs hadn't hated Jason, she just hadn't liked him either. Jason was so different, so much more dangerous, it was actually terrifying. He was just a boy but there were times Barbara had wondered if he had fought a thousand years and saw no end in sight.

Then he was gone, Joker had killed him.

Joker had crippled and violated her, and on bad nights she could still feel the Joker's hands on her, in her and the pain of being so weak, prone and helpless because there was no fight left in her with that pain.

And sometimes that searing, roaring phantom pain would steal her breath and have her gasping for air alone. And all it took to trigger it was a touch. Which was something she hated as she smiled at her father as he stood and got ready for work.

"I'll see you this evening. You and that boy be good," he ordered.

"You can call him Dick, Dad," she called after im.

"Yeah, Yeah," he waved off.

"You've known him for over ten years now you should call him by his name!"

"Stay safe Babs," her dad shouted as he loaded up in his car. She waved at him until he was out of sight then she dropped her false cheer as she sagged in her chair.

Sometimes she didn't know what was more tiring, pretending that nothing in her life had changed because of what the Joker had done to her. Or accepting that nothing would ever be the same.

Here she was twenty-two and she'd never feel the pleasures intimacy again; not like that at least, she'd never be normal, or have a normal relationship, and she had a colostomy bag now! This wasn't how her life was supposed to be! It wasn't how this was supposed to go.

On top of that, she would never have children, never bear her own child. On top of that, she had to take hormones to keep herself balanced. The hysterectomy was something that had truly hurt, even though she couldn't feel it. A shuddering breath escaped her as she clapped a hand over her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut. She hated this, it wasn't fair!

But then again, life was rarely ever fair, she thought bitterly. Stealing her resolve she carefully turned her chair around and rolled back into the new house her father and she had moved to. Bruce, Dick, Alfred, and Tim had helped with the move, but she hated it. She hated the other house more because she couldn't feel safe there, but this didn't feel like home either.

She made it to the table, and scowled realizing that the cups and glasses were on the second shelf and she couldn't reach those. Unbuckling her seat, she pushed upwards and tried, she felt the chair wobble, a gasp escaped her when it rolled, she cried out as she went crashing down. A sharp thwack on her brow had her world fuzzing out as she felt herself hit the ground hard.

"Help," she whispered soundlessly as it fuzzed and faded to black.

* * *

Komand'r screamed, she raged, she hated, and now she was past all that.

The Throne was gone from her grasp, for forever, she knew this as she felt her breath hitch and shudder, there'd be no heir from her. And It Was Kori's Fault!

She would make Kori burn as she was burning because by X'hal this wasn't fair!

She was the eldest! She was a warrior! She was the leader! And That Was Her Throne! But there was no way to secure it if she could not bear an heir. The rage alone had her releasing a scream as her powers raged around her.

Suddenly there was a hand on her shoulder, and she spun around as the power ignited on her fist to illuminate the area with her fuchsia energy. And she found herself eye to eye with a giant grey, ugly bastard and her lips curled back ferally.

"Back. Off." She growled.

"Heyya gorgeous, what's with the light show, looking for a fight?" he touched her ass lewdly then. Kom saw red as she released her power surging up into the air.

"You Dare To Lay A Hand On Me!?" she roared.

"My Kind Of Woman," the man smiled lecherously as he stood; which was impossible. Kom released a rain of power on him and he got right up as he lunged for her. She snapped out of her stupor as she flew, taking to the higher altitudes. This man was clearly a real threat, but so was she.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello,
> 
> Okay, first things first. I know NOTHING about being paralyzed or disabled, so I will write this as best as I can. But if people would like to correct me where I am wrong or share information I might not have, I am willing to listen. But know I have been very thorough in the research for this, and I have talked to people, and I mean no offense.
> 
> Second, this story is slower to updates so enjoy it as I post.
> 
> That's all for now folks.
> 
> Enjoy Make a Wish on a Shooting Star =)


	3. Get Out

Dick didn't remember much, he didn't know how he had gotten to the hospital, or what had happened really, all he remembered was walking into the Gordons' new house to see Babs, on the ground, her chair a way from her, and she was bleeding. Dick had freaked, he wasn't even sure he had called the ambulance, or if he had driven her here, but they were here. At Gotham Memorial as he sat with his knee bouncing and his hands clutching his hair.

"Mr. Grayson?" a voice called which had his head snapping up as he got to his feet.

"How is she!?" he demanded. Everything in his twenty year old heart and mind narrowed to Barbara at that moment.

"She just got a bump and a cut on her head, needed stitches, small concussion, but she's good to go," the doctor supplied for him. Which had him breathing a sigh of relief.

"Thank you," he smiled tightly.

"You can go see her now, we have called her father as he is her medical contact, but you were also on her papers as a contact," the doctor said.

He nodded as he walked into the room, Barbara was glaring out the window.

"Hey Babs," he started.

"Get. Out." she snarled.

"They said you were alright, and you were good to go," he carefully said, not sure how this was going to go.

"Richard. Grayson. GET OUT!" she roared as she grabbed something and threw it at him. Dick ducked as it sailed over his head to hit the wall with a clang.

"Babs!"

"GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!" she screamed.

"Alright, alright, I'm going!" he surrendered as he hurried out of the room, but not before he saw the tears rolling down her cheeks as she slumped back on the bed. Dick made it out of the hospital when the first burn of his eyes had him squeezing them shut and leaning against the wall. A shuddering breath escaped him when his phone rang. Jolted he answered on reflex.

"Hey, now's," he started.

"Dick!" a cheerful, happy voice greeted him which had the breath whooshing out of him as his lips twitched.

"Kori," he smiled weakly. There was a warmth he always had when he heard her voice.

"I was calling to inform you, what I intended to tell you last night," she started. "Uh… what's the matter?"

"Nothing," he lied.

"Richard," her voice filled with concern.

"Babs fell, and she just screamed at me to get out," he admitted weakly. Dragging his hand through his hair he let his head fall forward as the tears escaped him. He didn't need Kori here to know that she was, not pitying him, but she was there for support. That was the best thing about Kori, she was always there supporting him.

She would also catch him when he leapt in over his head or when he mistook falling for flying.

"Do… Do you need a friend?" she asked.

"No, no, I'm good," he lied. "It's just a small set back," he tried. He wasn't sure about that, Barbara didn't like it when she would have weak moments, and those moments had a tendency to manifest with her screaming and yelling at him. "What were you going to tell me?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing important, it can wait," she said cheerfully.

"I'm sorry Kori," he muttered.

"For what? You have done nothing wrong," she pointed out.

"For not being a good friend, or leader to the Titans," he admitted.

"You are doing fine Dick, it is nothing we can't handle, and I have heard that Wally and Jinx will be joining us." She sounded like she was smiling which had his lips twitching.

"Yeah, Wally got accepted into Stanford," Dick smiled. He was going to have his best friend on the Titans soon, but it was kind of a shame because Dick didn't think he was ever leaving Gotham again.

"Yay for him!" Kori announced.

"So what did you want to tell me?" Dick asked shakily.

"It's not important," she said. "I will call you again soon," she announced.

"Thanks again Kori," he said.

"Take care of Barbara, Dick," she replied softly and before he could answer she hung up. He just released a shuddering breath as he let the phone drop into his pocket as he trembled a bit. Dick didn't know what to do, he didn't know what he should do. He didn't know how to reach Babs, he didn't know anything anymore.

A car pulled up in front of the hospital then, he looked up when he heard the clipped familiar sound of dress shoes on pavement. Slowly he looked up to Alfred standing before him, his stern British upper lip had him always looking stoic.

"She told me to get out," he finally let the tears roll freely.

The butler said nothing as Dick collapsed against the man who was practically his grandfather. He didn't know how t convey what he was thinking as he just held onto Alfred.

"It will be alright young master," Alfred assured him. A heavy hand rested on his head as he leaned against Alfred.

"I don't know what to do!" he admitted. "I can't fail her! Not Like Jay! I Can't Fail Her!" he admitted.

"No one is failing anyone, Master Richard," Alfred said.

Dick didn't say anything as he just held onto Alfred for a moment in the Gotham mist. He just didn't know what to do. He didn't know how he could reach Barbara, or if anything he had to say would ever make a difference. He loved her, he did, but he didn't know how or what to say.

"It will work out," Alfred said. "I have contacted Mr. Gordon and re-informed him of Miss Gordon's situation, I have also brought her a change of clothes. He is also on his way here. Now, shall I wait for Mr. Gordon, or give Miss Gordon her clothes?"

"You go Alfred," he whispered.

* * *

Kori sighed as she walked for the Titan's entrance. Kori honestly hadn't thought about what she was going to do, but, she was leaving, that was all she knew. She had made up her mind after speaking with friend Raven, and leaving seemed wiser than staying. The misery which Raven was enduring because of Garfield and hers' break up was not worth the heartache. Kori had enough heartache for a lifetime, and she was not enduring much more of it.

"Kori!" a voice gasped.

"Friend Roy!" she blinked before she crashed into her friend. His bright red hair was standing up on end.

"Hey, I was just meet up with Thea," he said.

"Oh, about what?"

"Step nine," he said.

"Ah, you have something to apologize about?" she asked.

"Yeah, a lot, I think I'm lucky she agreed to meet me," Roy said as he scratched the back of his head.

"Hmm, I wish you luck," she smiled.

"Thanks," he nodded as he walked off.

Kori sighed as she looked over at the hall. Before the weeks end she would leave.

Kori did not want to endure this heartache. She could not. Getting to her room she paused a moment, looking at the things she had accumulated on earth and she bit her lip. It was time to move on. To let go.

She could do this because she had done it before. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath as she centered herself and steeled her resolve. By the end of the week she'd go, be gone, there was nothing holding her here and she needed a change. Because this ache would kill her.

Pushing herself up she looked at the pictures she had of her friends, of her memories, and of her life here on earth and she sighed. There would be many things to miss about this world, but it wasn't her home anymore. He belonged to another.

Picking up a bag she tossed it on her bed as she purposefully walked into her closet to pack her belongings. Tossing the dresses she hadn't worn she looked at the mirror and sighed, she'd keep some of these fashions.

* * *

Kom growled a bit at her captor, he leaned over her. "You put up one hell of a fight," he leered.

"Untie me and we can continue the fight," she snarled.

"Mmm, you sexy, but not that sexy," he mused. She gnashed her teeth at him. Having accumulated his language already she found him even more repulsive when he spoke than before.

"Now, to see if there's any money on your pretty little head, you sure fight like a woman," he rumbled.

"Wait," she ordered.

The man stiffened and turned on her, his gaze full of hatred then.

"There's a bounty on me, but I know how you can make more money," she promised.

"Oh, and how's that?" he asked looming over her lithe form.

"You just have to kill my sister."


	4. Time to Leave

Kori sighed as she looked at her packed suitcase. She looked over her room in the Tower and sighed as she picked up her civilian image inducer. A gift from Victor, one he had programed so not much of her Tamaranian features would be hidden.

Slipping the ring onto her finger she watched as her orange skin turned chocolate and some of her features softened for a human look, her flaming hair turned into black curls. Picking up a green dress she pulled it on, picked up her black boots, and her jewelry, today she would speak with her modeling agency, to turn in her leave, and she would go away.

She could live with being in love, and heartbroken with Dick Grayson, because she wanted his happiness more than anything else in this world. Barbara was the one he loved and the one who made him happy. So Kori would leave because while she wanted Dick to be happy, she could not bear to just watch him from a distance, yearning for him.

Once dressed, Kori picked up her favorite floppy, white sun hat with a purple bow, pulling it on her head, she picked up her bag and walked out of the Tower.

Raven was out today, Garfield was chasing skirts, Victor was at classes, and Dick was still in Gotham. Kori was free today, free to finish her cleaning up of her life, and she was free to get this under control. To leave without the drama or clinginess, or the mess of heartbreak. This would hurt enough, Kori did not wish to have that pain when she left.

Walking through San Francisco Kori enjoyed the feeling of Earth's sun on her skin and remembered greatly why she loved it here.

Earth was so alien from her wild home, but she could admit to having grown very fond of this place. But it would not be home. She knew that, and that had her sighing as she walked.

Kori made her way to her to her agency.

The receptionist smiled at her, and Kori waved cheerily at girl. Continuing to the elevator, she sighed as she watched the doors shut on her as her head fell back. Her eyes closed and she bit her lip, heartbreak, it was an old friend and one she was getting accustomed to, again. Her eyes fluttered open when the doors opened.

Walking for her agent's office she shouldered her bag a bit more and nervously she knocked. Kori smiled at her.

"Kori!" her agent smiled.

"Margo!" Kori walked over to the small human and lightly hugged her.

"What brings you by?" Margo asked as she sat down.

"I have come to speak with you about something personal," Kori said as she set her bag down.

"About what?"

"About… me leaving," she said softly.

"What?"

"Yes, I am going home, and I have come to say goodbye and that I will not be renewing my contract," Kori said softly.

* * *

Dick sat in his room, his hands buried his hair as he pressed his back against the bed as he sat on his floor.

Oh, he was a fucking wreck, in the three days since Barbara had woken up in the hospital. Two days since Barbara had gone home, and a day since she had texted him telling him she didn't want to see him for a bit.

There was a light knock.

"It's okay, I'm fine," he shouted through his door when it opened. His head snapped up for him to repeat that he was find only to find himself staring at the small teen there.

"Hey," Tim smiled tentatively.

"Hey, is there something up Timmy?" Dick asked pulling himself to his feet.

"You haven't been out for a bit, I just wanted to…" Tim stopped awkwardly.

"I'm okay, Tim, Babs is good," Dick said.

"She didn't mean it," Tim whispered tentatively as he walked in. "People say terrible things when they hurt, they say them because they hurt," Tim pointed out.

"Tim, it's… it's really complicated," Dick said tiredly.

"But… it's really not," Tim said, and that stopped Dick cold. Jason had said that in one of their fights, a fight that he had heard between Dick and Bruce, and Jason had said that it wasn't complicated. It was family.

"Barbara was really hurt," Dick started.

"She was embarrassed, she's fallen before, you know, she tried to get up once and almost fell on her face, B caught her. She was embarrassed, Dick," Tim said. "I think sometimes she forgets that her legs don't work anymore, and she doesn't like feeling so helpless. She didn't mean it though."

"Tim…" Dick started.

Everything was so damn complicated! There was Barbara who he had loved his ENTIRE young life, he had lost his virginity to her in the back seat of his car! He had loved her, he still loved her.

But there was also Kori, and he… he didn't know how to feel about Kori. That was the complication he kept to himself, very much to himself. He had gotten a few kisses from the Tamaranean and she was gorgeous, glorious, fiery, alive, vivacious, and mesmerizing. Dick always felt free around her, free, and safe, and he loved it. However Kori was an alien princess, and he nothing but an orphaned acrobat with nothing of real value to offer her. So he had struggled to keep her as a friend, struggled because he craved so much more with her.

That was one of the complications with everything he had with Barbara.

The other was he didn't know how to be around her. Not anymore. There was something broken here, that he couldn't even name, it was a challenge to identify, and he just kept trying so hard to work with her. He kept trying to be with her, and it felt so forced. Why ever that was he didn't know! And it was maddening, because he couldn't identify why it felt so forced.

When they had been younger, it was natural. Everything between him and Babs, it was easy, natural, it flowed, it had a steady rhythm. Now, it was disjointed, and difficult, and frustrating. He couldn't do anything right with her, he couldn't! And he tried so hard to do everything right with her, but it felt impossible. But love wasn't always easy, so he was determined to  _ **TRY**_  to keep him and Babs afloat. Even though he hadn't been here the first time around, he was trying though, he was trying really hard, but there didn't seem to be anything he could do right.

"Barbara and I are working together to be together, it's a lot of work though," Dick sighed as he scratched his head.

"Maybe it shouldn't be so hard," Tim muttered.

"Enough about me, how is everything with you, Timbo?" he smiled as he lightly punched his little brother's shoulder. He had come home to also help Tim with everything that he was going through, having lost his father in a brutal murder a few months ago.

"I'm tired." Tim started, and Dick sat on his bed with the teen as his brother started going over all the mundane things, weakly slumping over and Dick listened with rapt attention because he was better at this. He had to be better at this. He couldn't fail Tim, he couldn't fail again.

Tim was weakly curled up and sleeping by the end of his tirade and Dick pulled a blanket; one he had snagged from Jason's room and draped it over Tim's sleeping form before kissing his brother's brow and leaving. Silently he walked to the kitchen, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he saw Alfred there.

"Master Richard," Alfred greeted.

"Alfie!" he smiled. "Thanks for the hospital… you know," he said weakly.

"Of course Master Richard, Miss Gordon is recovering well," he said as he continued his baking.

"Yeah, um… do you think Babs… uh… never mind," he sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"It is no problem Master Richard, perhaps you should call your friend; she might be of help," Alfred said.

"Her who?" Dick asked, because the how of what Alfred said was just a bit too selective. It was like they were no longer speaking of Barbara.

"Your friend in San Francisco," Alfred clarified.

"Kori?" Dick asked.

"Yes, lovely young lady, she called earlier today but said she would call you later if you were up to it," Alfred said.

"Kori's nice," Dick felt himself grin as he looked over at Alfred.

"She sounded most lovely over the phone, I have not had the chance to meet your friends in San Francisco," Alfred said.

"Uh… That might not be a good idea," Dick said hesitantly. Garfield Logan was a walking trash can on a good day.

"Why ever not? You have brought your friends home before," Alfred said.

"Because they aren't like Garth, Roy and Wally," Dick said. "They're orphans."

"And that matters how?" Alfred asked blandly.

"Because they aren't like B, or me, they're… we're, we're a small, broken family now, and it's a wreck at the Tower," Dick winced. They lived in a pigsty. He'd admit that. He also admit that Alfred might actually have a heart attack walking into that Tower.

If none of his new family blasted Alfred.

"I would still be pleased to meet them."

"I think I'll go call Kori," Dick decided as he walked out of the Manor, he kind of wanted to hear from Kori that everything was alright.

He also wanted to hear her voice.

* * *

Komand'r stood at the helm of Lobo's ship, her bindings were tight as she stared at the Milky Way system and she turned her head back to the lug as he lumbered behind her. Tilting her head back, her heavy flames tumbled back and her green eyes glared at her captured.

"Earth, never thought I'd see this shit hole again," Lobo rumbled.

"Mmmm… Intergalatic jumping point for a lot of systems," Kom sneered. She hated Earth, but mostly, she hated that her little sister had left her and escaped to Earth. Found sanctuary there, and she… she'd been forced to the outskirts of galaxies, fighting for her crown; a crown that should have been hers by her birth right. Now, she couldn't even claim what was hers! Her throne, forever unobtainable as her bloodline would ed with her.

Kori would pay for that! Kori would not live to breed, to take the throne. Kom would not stand with it.

She was the first born.

It was her throne.

Kori would die.

And Ry was to be next.

Looking back at the galaxy she glared at the Milky Way, she would happily destroy it all, watch them all burn.

Her sister's friends would also be dead at her feet, that is all she wanted. That was it. She was done with losing everything, and her sister's friends would pay as well. There would be no more prisons for her. Cyborg, Beast Boy, Robin, and Raven would all pay.

She would break them all. No one would survive.

She would break them all.

"I can have a bit of fun, but the money," Lobo grinned ruefully at her.

"The moment we take my sister's dead body is at my parents' feet," she smiled icily. Kori would not live much longer.

"Sister must be a piece of work if you're willing to pay me to kill her," he smiled.

"Sister deserves death," she icily stated as she glared at Lobo. "Kill her, and I'll reward you with jewels beyond your dreams," she smiled.

"I'm in, pretty lady, but I want more than jewels," he leered.

"Maybe," she lied. She wouldn't fuck him for anything. Kom was not cheap, nor would she ever sleep with a thing like Lobo, she was a Queen. Not a painted whore, and anyone who thought differently would face her wrath and her fury.

* * *

Barbara glaring her room, at the wall, and felt her frustration at being paralyzed rising. She should be used to it, nearly two years! TWO YEARS! She should be used to the fucking chair! Now she didn't want leave her room in the humiliation of having been found on the floor! By her BOYFRIEND!

Someone kill her now, please! Save her from the humiliation of this.

She felt her lip quiver as she looked down at her hands.

"Sweetheart," her father's voice was on the other side of the door.

"Go away."

"You can't stay in there for forever," her dad said.

"I am not coming out!" she shouted, suddenly her door was open and she glared at him.

"You need to knock this off young lady," her father snapped the warning as he walked forward.

"I rolled OUT of my Chair!" she snapped. "I'm so fucking helpless in this damn chair, I hate it! I HATE IT! I Hate Being This Helpless! This DEPENDANT! My Own Boyfriend Had To Help Me Out! Call the ambulance! Goddamn THIS CHAIR! I wish I was dead!"

"Barbara!" Her father looked down at her.

"He saw me like… like that!" she whimpered as she rubbed her eyes, and the glasses were knocked askew. She was just wanted to go die, the humiliation alone was enough to have her wanting to die.

"And he still loves you!" her father snapped which had her looking up at him. "That boy has been in love with you from the moment he saw you, and being helpless will not change that!"

"You don't know that!" Barbara snapped.

"The boy is in love with you Barbara," her father said as he walked away and she sighed. Her father didn't know that. There was something different about Dick now, but what that was, she didn't know.

* * *

Jim sighed outside his house as he pulled on his cap.

The BOY loved his daughter, still did, and he could see that.

But the MAN was in love with a Titan.

Jim had seen it in the papers, he had seen it in the shots of Dick as Robin of the Titans with that alien. And Jim did not hate Dick for falling in love, a real love. He had always known the boy would out grow his daughter, just as his daughter would out grow the boy.

However, now was not the time to bring it up. It just broke the father in him's heart that this was going to fail, painful, and he couldn't stop it. For now, he would let his daughter cling to the boy she loved. Because she needed that right now. But the boy was not the man, and the man would still love and befriend his daughter, but the man was head over heels in love with the alien. And Jim was happy for Dick to have that.

That kind of love was rare, and hard to find.

He hoped the boy realized what he had found before it was too late.

* * *

Kori stood there on the Tower roof staring out at the sea and she closed her eyes as she released a shuddering breath.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow night she was leaving, and she would live her life forever away from her love, because she could not bear to be so close to him and only yearn for his glance.

"All packed?" a smoky monotone had her turning her head over to Raven, who had become like a little sister to her. Reaching over she took Raven's hand and pulled her friend up to her side.

"Yes," she answered confidently.

"You're really leaving?" Raven asked hesitantly.

"Yes, would you like to come?" Kori asked as she looked at the smaller woman. Raven could live a life away from Earth as well, away from the heartbreak of Garfield.

"I don't think…" Raven started.

"If you ever need me, you do know you can call and I will come for you, right friend Raven?" Kori asked.

"I know," Raven tilted her head back. Her small friend's sloppily cut hair was losing it's purple dye and going black at the roots, it was a mess, and her friend looked miserable.

"Garfield is a moron," Kori said confidently.

"I'm staying because of Vic, actually," Raven said as she hugged herself.

"He is your big brother," Kori mused softly. The bond between Raven and Victor, it was truly special and Kori would not wish to disrupt it, she had too much love for them.

"I would go with you other wise," Raven smiled weakly.

"You will be here tomorrow?"

"Yeah, Vic's going to Boston, try to reconcile with his dad, and Garfield has a date with comic book Stephanie," Raven said the last part in pain and Kori pulled her small friend into her embrace.

"Tomorrow let us do all the friend things before I must leave!" she decided.

"You know he loves you, right?" Raven whispered. "Empath, so I know he loves you Kori."

"He loves Barbara," Kori said softly.

"In a way, not in the way he wants to though," Raven said.

"I want him happy, Raven, and perhaps one day I will have the strength to be here again and see him happy, but today is not that day," Kori sighed.

"I… I guess you will have to just figure it out," Raven sighed.

"Yes," Kori nodded drawing away. "You however will get better than a Garfield. You shall have your own mate worthy of you one day," Kori smiled.

"Oh, I will?" Raven snorted in disbelief.

"You shall."

"If I get a guy, and he's stupid enough to actually WANT to marry me, I'm telling him he's an idiot," Raven stated.

"Why ever would he be an idiot?"

"Because he didn't run away," Raven answered.

"That is a terrible thing to say!"

"but true, I'm going to probably fall in love with some gigantic, imbecile who is cursed with luck worse than mine!" Raven groaned rubbing her temples.

"Perhaps you should fall in love with Dick, he is most charming," Kori offered.

"No Kori, I don't need charming, right now I just need me."

"That is good," Kori nodded.

"Tomorrow we'll do all the friend things."

"Good."


End file.
